From WO 2011/069836 A1, a method according to the class for operating an internal combustion engine is known. Here, during a cold start phase of the internal combustion engine, a gas-exchange valve lift required for the charge exchange should be regulated within a minimum lift height and a maximum closing time. For this purpose, a hydraulic valve is switched so that only a partial volume is filled with pressurized medium in a pressure chamber and thus the gas-exchange valve is only partially actuated.